Sap pail or bucket.



PATBNTED AUG. 27,1907.

J. HALL. SAP PAIL 0R BUCKET.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 5. 1907.

[NI/EN TOR.

A TTORNE i s UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

SAP PAIL OR BUCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1907.

Application filed February 5,1907. Serial No. 355,907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HALL, a citizen of the United States, residingat North Monroe, in the county of Grafton and State of New Hampshire,have invented a new and useful Sap Pail or Bucket, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to covers for pails or buckets of that generalclass employed in collecting sap from maple and similar trees.

The object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple andinexpensive device of this character capable of being quickly attachedto or detached from the tree and which forms a closure for the top ofthe bucket so as to effectually protect the contents of the latter fromfalling leaves, twigs and from snow or rain as well as to preventexcessive evaporation of the sap.

A further object is to provide means for clamping the cover in positionon trees of different sizes and means for supporting the cover inelevated or open position when collecting the sap from the buckets.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve thisclass of devices so as to increase their utility, durability andefficiency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it be ingunderstood that various changes in form, proportions and minor detailsof construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sap bucket or pail provided with acover or closure constructed in accordance with my invention showing thecover in closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cover inelevated or open position. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the coverdetached. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a portion of the coverillustrating a modified form of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference indicate correspond ing parts in all ofthe figures of the drawings.

The improved cover is principally designed for use in connection withbuckets or pails of that general class adapted to receive sap from mapleand similar trees and by way of illustration is shown in connection witha pail or bucket of the ordinary construction in which 5 designates thebucket suspended from the spout 6.

The cover 7 is preferably stamped or otherwise formed from a singlepiece of metal one end of which is bent upon itself to form a terminaltransverse eye or socket 8 for the reception of a rod 9 which forms apivot pin or hinge for said cover. The opposite ends of the rod 9 arebent or twisted to form horizontally disposed spring coils 10terminating in laterally extending spring pressed arms 11 the ends ofwhich are provided with piercing points 12 adapted to engage the sidesof the tree for clamping the cover in position on said tree.

The cover 7 is preferably of suflicient size to project beyond theadjacent walls of the bucket or pail and is preferably supported at anangle to the top of the cover so as to deflect the leaves and twigs aswell as rain and snow and thus prevent the same from entering thebucket. I

Soldered, riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the bottom of thecover 7 is a transverse reinforcing strip 13 having spaced guidinggrooves 14 formed therein for the reception of a longitudinally movablelocking member 15. The locking member 15 is preferably formed of asingle piece of wire bent into the form of an open loop the closed endof which is bent to produce a finger piece 16 while the opposite ends ofthe wire are deflected laterally to form terminal bearing members 17adapted to engage the tree and thus support the cover in elevated oropen position while removing the sap from the bucket The bucket 5 isprovided with a supporting bail 18 which bears against a stop lug 19formed on the spout 6, there being a recess or depression 19 formed inthe upper edge of the bucket to accommodate the spout, as shown.

The cover is secured on the tree above the bucket by expanding the arms11 and forcing the terminals 12 thereof into engagement with the bark ofthe tree, in which position the cover 7 will be disposed at an angle tothe top of the pail and effectually close the latter. 7 In order todetach the bucket or remove the sap therefrom the free end of the coveris tilted upwardly which causes the locking member 15 to drop by gravityto operative position with its deflected ends 17 straddling the spout 6and bearing against the tree thus sup porting the cover in elevated oropen position while collecting the sap.

In order to release the cover it is merely necessary to exert a slightupward pressure on the finger piece 16 when the deflected ends 17 of thelocking member will be disengaged from the trunk of the tree and allowthe cover to drop to lowered or closed position.

By forming the arms with the spring coils 10 the former may be expandedto accommodate trees of different cross sectional diameter while byreason of the gravity actuated locking device 15 the cover isautomatically supported in open position.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing there is illustrated a modified form of theinvention in which the body portion 7 is formed of wood and reinforcedby metal straps 20 which constitute eyes or sockets for the reception ofthe intermediate connecting rod of the clamping arms, the constructionand operation of the device being otherwise similar to that. shown inFig. 1 of the drawings.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided anextremely simple, inexpensive and efiicient device admirably adapted forthe attainment of the ends in view.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A cover for sap pails having means for attachment to a support, and agravity actuated locking member slidably mounted on the cover andadapted to engage the support for holding the cover in open position.

2. A cover for sap pails including a body portion pro vided with meansfor engagement with a support, and means slidably mounted on the bodyportion and adapted to engage the support for holding the cover inelevated position.

3. A cover for sap pails including a clamping member adapted to engagea'support, a cover pivotally connected with the clamping member andmeans independent of the pivotal means for holding the cover in openposition.

4. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, yieldably clampingarms pivotally associated with the body portion and adapted to engage asupport, and a locking member slidably mounted on said body portion andmovable by gravity into engagement with the support for bold ing thecover in open position.

5. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, clamping armspivotally associated with the body portion and adapted to engage asupport, and a locking member slidably mounted on the body portion andadapted to engage the support for holding the cover in open position,said locking member being provided with a terminal finger piece.

6. A cover for sap pails including a body portion having one end thereofprovided with a transverse groove, spaced transverse clamping armspivotally mounted in said groove and adapted to engage a support, and agravity actuated locking member slidably mounted on the body portion andadapted to bear against the support when the cover is moved to openposition for holding said cover in said position,

7. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, clamping armspivotally associated with the body portion and adapted to engage asupport, said arms being provided with intermediate spring coils, and alocking member slidably mounted for longitudinal movement on the bodyportion and adapted to bear against the support for holding the cover inopen position.

8. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, clamping armspivotally associated with the body portion and adapted to engage asupport, spaced guides secured to the body portion, and a loop slidablymounted for longitudinal movement in said guides for locking the coverin open position.

9. A cover for sap pails including a body portion, spring pressedclamping arms pivotally associated with the body portion and adapted toengage a support, spaced guides secured to the bottom of the bodyportion, and a locking member slidably mounted in said guides and havingone end thereof provided with a terminal finger piece and its oppositeend formed with spaced deflected portions adapted to bear against thesupport for holding the cover in elevated position.

10. The combination with a spout, of a sap bucket suspended from thespout and having its upper edge provided with a depression toaccommodate the spout, a cover pivotally mounted for lateral movementabove the spout, and a locking member slidably mounted on the cover andprovided with spaced arms adapted to straddle the spout for holding thecover in open position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HALL.

Witnesses:

F. H. MERRIFIELD, HATTIE A. PADDLEFORD.

